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Rock Falls extends hours for liquors sales

New hours match Sterling

ROCK FALLS – In 10 days, Rock Falls bars, restaurants, liquor stores and convenience stores, with a liquor license, will be able to sell and serve longer.

The change was unanimously approved Tuesday night during the Rock Falls City Council meeting. The new hours will match those in Sterling, said City Administrator Robbin Blackert.

"It gets kind of confusing, I think, sometimes for people," she said after the meeting. "We want to keep things streamlined where you can [serve at the same time]. Our biggest difference was on Sundays. Our bars had to close, I believe, at 10 p.m. and now they can stay open until 1 a.m."

Rock Falls businesses with liquor licenses – bars, restaurants and liquor stores, among others – will be allowed to sell or serve alcohol from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. the following day, 7 days a week.

The new hours will start 10 days from today.

Previously, some liquor license holders were permitted to sell or serve alcohol on Sunday only between noon and 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

On New Year's Eve, the hours will be extended to 1:30 a.m. the following day.

Medical marijuana ordinance

During December's Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, there will be a public hearing on an ordinance that would limit where medical marijuana dispensaries could be located in Rock Falls.

In August, Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill that institutes a 4-year medical marijuana pilot program in Illinois. The program starts Jan. 1, but Rock Falls wanted to be proactive and ensure dispensaries couldn't be located downtown.

The Rock Falls ordinance would add medical marijuana dispensaries to the Adult Uses section of the city code, limiting them to being located in the industrial park, Blackert said.

Among the other businesses in the Adult Uses category are adult book stores, tattoo parlors and psychic readers or fortune tellers.

Sewer plant work

The City Council on Tuesday also waved the bidding process for work on the sewer plant.

After a closed session, the council awarded the bid to Sjostrom and Sons Construction, of Rockford, for $35,192.

The company did the original work on the sewer plant, but a public works project costing more than $20,000 is required to be put out for bid, Blackert said. The City Council voted unanimously to wave the bidding process.

Rock Falls sends help to Washington

Rock Falls sent a generator to Washington, Ill., Monday night after receiving a request for one through the joint response system for fire departments, Twin City Fire Chief Gary Cook said.

Washington was hit by a tornado Sunday, resulting in large portions of the centrial Illinois town being destroyed.

To attend

The Rock Falls City Council next meets at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3, at City Hall, 603 W. 10th St.

The agendas will be posted at www.rockfalls61071.com and at City Hall. Call 815-622-1100 for more information.